| R 319 |
| 2023 -- H 6164 Enacted 05/11/2023 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE FROM THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES (DHS) IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS (DOC) ON CURRENT AND POTENTIAL SERVICES AND PROGRAMS FOR TRANSITIONING FEMALES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM THROUGH PRE- AND POST-RELEASE |
Introduced By: Representatives Solomon, Kazarian, Casimiro, Spears, Carson, and Caldwell |
| Date Introduced: March 17, 2023 |
| WHEREAS, Incarcerated women are disproportionately low-income, minoritized, and |
| mothers, as well as having less educational and work experience than the general population. |
| Mental illness, drug abuse, and high rates of PTSD and substance-use disorders, are common |
| problems among female detainees who have often also been victims of abuse themselves; and |
| WHEREAS, Findings from a recent panel tasked with finding ways to reduce |
| incarceration among women in Rhode Island determined that there is an overwhelming need for |
| significantly more support services and transitional housing for this population; and |
| WHEREAS, In order to formulate a structured decision-making tool or process in order |
| to prepare a Request For Proposal (RFP) to transition females in the criminal justice system |
| toward more positive outcomes, detailed information on current protocols, housing options, |
| associated costs, and any potential additional methods, policies and programs is needed; now, |
| therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| respectfully requests the RI Department of Human Services, in consultation with the RI |
| Department of Corrections to submit a report to the General Assembly on or before January 5, |
| 2024, including, but not limited to: |
| Available and potential transitional housing with identification and coordination of |
| potential and existing associated costs and funding sources; |
| Available assistance for formerly incarcerated individuals in obtaining and |
| maintaining long-term stable housing and short-term housing through homeless |
| shelters and federal housing; |
| Private, not-for-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, and public agencies who |
| offer housing services that serve the needs of female incarcerated individuals; |
| Current access to social and support services as well as assistance with enrollment in |
| state and federal benefits and potential additional services and programs with |
| associated costs and funding methods; |
| Identification and coordination of all potential and existing funding; |
| Current access to high-quality integrated behavioral healthcare that is focused on |
| prevention, intervention, and treatment and any additional services needed to facilitate |
| positive outcomes for current and formerly incarcerated individuals with current and |
| potential costs and funding sources; |
| Assessment of health care needs for female incarcerated individuals; |
| Responsibility for post-release supervision details and potential improvement |
| recommendations including detailed information on current assessment and case |
| management tools targeting continuous reentry planning, beginning at the point of |
| admission to the criminal justice system, and working through pre- and post-release; |
| Process for the continuous and appropriate delivery of drug treatment, medical care, |
| job training and placement, educational services, cognitive behavioral therapy and/or |
| other services essential to reentry; |
| Methods used to determine the efficacy effectiveness of programs and services |
| provided; |
| A comprehensive assessment tool that combines validated risk and needs assessments |
| with suggested supervision strategies for case planning that addresses specific goals |
| and needed services; and |
| The utilization or development of new employment opportunities for this population; |
| and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Daniel McKee, Governor of the |
| State of Rhode Island, Kimberly Merolla-Brito, Director of the RI Department of Human |
| Services, and Wayne T. Salisbury, Jr., Acting Director of the Rhode Island Department of |
| Corrections. |
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| LC002601 |
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